Four Seasons
by animejunky78
Summary: This is a one shot collection for the Seasons Challenge at Dokuga.  Enjoy.  Please Review.
1. Winters Past

Title: Winters Past

Author: Animejunky78

Prompt: Seasons Challenge-Winter

Genre: Romance, Angst, Tragedy

AU/CU: Canon

Rating: K+

Warnings: Sesshoumaru is a bit OOC

Word Count: 1804

A/N: This is the first of a one shot series for the Seasons Challenge at . Takes place after Naraku and the jewel are gone. This one is light on the romance.

Summary: As the snow falls around them, memories of the past surface, as well as feelings.

**Winters Past**

Little snowflakes fluttered down to the earth in an illusive dance of random graceful moves. As they landed they softly melded with the mass of white that blanketed the ground. The evening sun reflected oranges and yellows that swept over the trees giving their bark an etherial glow. As the sun continued to dip farther, the entire forest turned otherworldly in its winter garb. A small wooden structure lay silent at the heart of this enchanted forest, with a tall stoic protector watching over it. It wouldn't be long.

Just then the energy of the time slip tickled his senses. The one he had been waiting for had arrived. He remained at the edge of the clearing, out of her sight, and his youki suppressed and out of her senses. Waiting. Soon a delicate hand reached up and over the lip of the well; quickly followed by another. With a bit of a struggle and a small amount of grunting the person pulled them self from the depths of the dry well. A young woman of nineteen or twenty, pulled herself over the edge of the well. She swung her legs up and over. They were well muscled from great exercise. She was lean and fit with porcelain skin. Her hair was the color of ravens feathers, and smooth and shiny as fine silk. She tossed it over her shoulder and it floated like silken threads in the soft breeze. Most striking of this young woman were her piercing blue eyes. They contrasted with her hair so dramatically, the affect was hypnotic. The woman sat on the edge of the well and gave her boots a little tug. When she stood she stretched her arms over her head and gave a contented sigh. A warm smile crossed her face, and she slung the great yellow pack onto one shoulder. She pulled at the collar of her coat that was a fluffy white material that her observer had never seen before. Come to think of it, he had not seen the strange blue material that the body of the coat was made of either. It looked rough and not very warm. The young woman began to make her way toward the village that was near by.

"Kagome." A familiar voice came through the trees where she had been headed.

"Hey, Inuyasha." The girl called as a red clad inu-hanyou jumped from the tree line.

The young hanyou stopped in front of the raven haired woman. She smiled up at him in a way that their unknown observer envied. His heart ached for a woman to smile at him in that way. His beast fought to attack the boy, but the stoic controlled man refused. Insisting to his beast that that was not the way. With his composure returned he looked back at the pair across the clearing form his location. The hanyou had taken the monstrous bag over his shoulder, and the two began to walk into the trees. When the pair were gone, their silent watcher exited the trees and approached the small well. He ran clawed fingertips over the rim of the battered well. Feeling ever rough edge and threatening splinter, until he felt the small bit of warmth left from the woman. He rested his palm over the spot where she had sat mere moments before. The scent of the woman still hung int he air. He inhaled what he could of her scent, sending a thrill through his body making his beast struggle again. With that he left the clearing, heading in the opposite direction as the woman and the boy.

Kagome had returned a few days before and the group had not left the village. With Naraku and the jewel gone, there was no need. If she had to admit it, she missed their travels sometimes. However, with the snow and the harsh unpredictable nature of winter, it was better to stay in the village. It had grown and prosper since the final battle. Rin had come to live in the village, which she enjoyed immensely. The girl was terribly sweet and the most adorable thing. Lord Sesshoumaru came to visit her often, which she enjoyed as well. She had found him to not be as cold as she originally thought. As a matter of fact, he was a lot more interesting then she thought. Highly intelligent, well mannered, and very caring; towards Rin that is.

Before she knew it she had wondered out to the forest. It seemed that her feet always took her 'home.' Before long the God tree came into view. Another one of her warm compassionate smiles spread across her lips. The Goshinbaku was 'home' to her, it stood in both times and symbolized life, home and family to her. She stood before the great tree then bowed in respect. After a moment she sat at its base with her legs folded beneath her. She leaned her head back against the trunk and closed her eyes. After several minutes of silence she spoke; keeping her eyes shut tight.

"How are you dad?" She said to no one. "I miss you."

"I wish you were here right now. I could really use your advice." She sighed heavily when she finished, then tilted her head sideways. "How do you deal with a man when you don't love him?" Her voice was lined with angst.

"You tell him as much." A deep voice said suddenly.

Kagome's eyes flew open with shock at receiving an answer. To her great surprise Sesshoumaru stood no more then five feet from her. She blinked in bewilderment a few times before she scrambled to stand up. She gave a deep bow as her cheeks turned crimson in embarrassment.

"Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama." She said weakly.

"Who, may I ask, were you talking to just now?" His tome was cool and monotone as usual.

"My father." A little giggle accompanied her answer.

"But no other human is here."

"Yeah." She started awkwardly. "I talk to him sometimes. You know, when a girl needs some fatherly advise."

"So, why not go back to your time to converse with him?" A slender brow raised questioningly.

"I can't." Her mood turned sad. "You see, I lost my father when I was young."

The demon lords eyes widened minutely. _She had lost her father. _Pounded through his head. His heart ached again, although he did not show it. Instead he turned his back to the small miko.

"May I ask who this man is?" He asked suddenly, making the woman stop breathless for a moment. "The one you do not love."

"Well...Inuyasha." She stammered as she said his name, and rubbed the back of her neck as if to ease some pain.

"Best to simply tell him." He advised.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Why do you return then?" His next question shocked her completely.

"Well...To protect the ones I love." The stoic lord turned to face her, with one brow lifted high into his bangs. "I guess I can't do much. I'm not strong or fast or even very good with my powers, but I will do all I can to protect the ones I love from whatever comes to harm them."

'_Sesshoumaru, do you have someone that you wish to protect?'_

His fathers words echoed through his head. The night his father asked him that he had responded that it was ridiculous. Although, over these past few years he had grown to understand his fathers words. He now understood that protecting someone was to love them, and to love someone was to not be alone. When you are no longer alone, you are complete. Rin had helped to fill some of that void in his life, but a part of it remained. Kagome was concerned over the youkai lords strange silence. Sure he was silent most of the time, but this felt different. It felt pained. She began to reach out to him, but stopped herself.

"Are you alright?" She finally asked.

"I lost my father in the winter." He suddenly said.

Shocked at his strange admonishment she was unsure of how she should respond to him.

"I'm sorry." Was the best she could manage.

"I remember it clearly." He continued. "I had said _things_ to him."

"Oh?" Kagome reseated herself in front of the tree.

"Terrible things." He turned away. "I didn't think he would have really died that night."

"You couldn't have know that." She tried to reassure him.

"I should have." The demon lords voice dripped with self loathing; something she never imagined she would see from him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She stood up and moved close to him. "No one, human or youkai, can ever know those types of things." He turned to face her. "We can only deal with the pain of these things."

Kagome lowered her eyes to look at her hands, who's fingers were tightly woven together. Her aura turned sad and hurt before she lifted her head again. When she did her eyes were filled with tears.

"Souta had just been born. Not more than a few weeks old. I was jealous of the attention that he got. So, I decided that I wanted a candy. I threw a fit until dad agreed to go out and get me one. Dad...never came home."

The tears began to stream down her face as she let out a loud cry of anguish. The young woman cried for several minutes with a silent youkai watching her, a look of hurt on his face as well. When she finished she wiped her face with her sleeve, and sniffed a couple of times.

"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru-sama." She managed between sniffs. "I've never told anyone that before."

"I suppose we have both opened up to one another today." He started softly, and a warmth was visible in his eyes. "Thank you miko."

He turned and walked away from the miko. She stared after him quizzically. _Perhaps he had meant that he told me something private as well?_ She sat at the base of the tree again thinking about what the youkai lord had told her. Her mind drifted far away as she relaxed. Before long little flecks of snow began to drift down from the sky. As a snowflake rested, and promptly melted, on the tip of her nose; she got up and began making her way back to the village. Her spirits lifted and feeling a weight was removed , her muscles relaxed.

In a nearby tree the same stoic figure watched her return to the village, changed as she was. A light breeze lifted his silver hair in a dance. _Sesshoumaru, do you have someone you wish to protect?_ His fathers voice rang through his head again.

"Yes, father."


	2. Spring Fever

Title: Spring Fever

Author: Animejunky78

Prompt: Seasons Challenge-Spring

Genre: Friendship, Romance

AU/CU: Canon Universe

Rating: K+

Warnings: Sesshoumaru is a bit OOC

Word Count: 1806

Authors Notes: None

Summary: Spring has come and so has Sesshoumaru. He finds new feelings growing with the new growth of spring.

**Spring Fever**

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Kagome sat in the forest silently enjoying the warming breeze of the season. She sat with her legs folded beneath her by a small patch of wild herbs, and a gathering basket within arms reach. The suns rays sprinkled down through the trees canopy to dot her face in kisses of golden heat. As the breeze swept her raven locks to the side playfully, the miko closed her eyes as if to listen to what it was telling her. Just as if on queue with some joke, the girl smiled gently. Her hair fluttered in the wind along with the loose sleeves of her miko's uniform. When the breeze dyed down she opened her eyes and continued on with her work. In a thick tree not too far from the priestesses position, a demon lord stood in a high branch watching her whimsical behavior. Although it was whimsical he found it oddly sensual. The miko's scent drifted right to him. A deep breath and he could smell every bit of the delicate woman. Her aura was just as calming as her scent. This was the first thing that he had ever noticed about her, those short years ago. He leapt down gracefully without making a noise. He softly walked over the new growth that covered the forest floor. The miko's back was to him, but he was certain that she knew he was there. Just as the thought crossed his mind the miko turned to face him.

"Good afternoon, Sesshoumaru-sama." She announced with a bright smile. "It's good to see you again."

The stoic lord simply raised a brow in response, and the priestess pulled the basket onto her lap. After pushing the last of the herbs into the basket, she stood and rested the basket on her hip.

"Your here to see Rin." She stated rather then questioned. "She is down in the village with Kaede, I think."

"Thank you, Miko." Kagome came up short at his unexpected politeness.

Kagome nodded to him and led the way toward the village. The youkai lord walked closely behind her. She walked along quietly, paying no mind to the inu-youkai that followed behind her. Unknown to her, the youkai was keeping a close eye on her swaying hips. He admired how they swept from side to side as part of her natural gate and not from any over exaggeration. The miko's movements were graceful like a noble woman's would be, and just as soft. In point of fact, all of her features had a softness to them, he thought idly to himself.

"Lady Kagome." A man's voice carried up to the pair that now approached the top of the hill that overlooked the village.

Sesshoumaru's eyes jumped up to find a monk running toward them. He hoped that the lecher had not noticed his wandering eyes. He was human, there was no way the monk would have seen from that distance, the youkai lord reassured himself before chastising himself for having the wandering eyes in the first place.

"Lady Kagome." He puffed as he leaned over his knees. "I'm glad your back."

"Is something wrong Miroku?" Kagome asked with concern.

"It's Sango. She needs your assistance." He continued to struggle for breath.

Kagome looked worried suddenly, and shoved the basket into the monks arms before sprinting away. The youkai lord stood frozen to the spot at the priestesses strange reaction. He cast a questioning look at the monk, who now that he looked at him seems concerned as well. When the monk recovered from his sprint up the hill to the pair, he stood straight and immediately seemed at ease for some strange reason. The youkai lord eyed the monk questioningly, and the man did the same to his new companion. The pair began to walk down the hill together, silently. Every so often the monk would send the youkai lord a suspicious looking glance. Sesshoumaru began to think that he may have been wrong about the monk. Perhaps the quick witted man did see his wayward eyes. As the pair came to the base of the hill, Kagome came running back. When she came in close she balled her fist and hit the monk in the shoulder. Sesshoumaru looked shocked at her violent behavior toward her friend, at least as shocked as he could look.

"Miroku, you jerk." She shouted, and the monk broke into laughter.

"Forgive me Lady Kagome. I couldn't help myself." He laughed behind his hand.

"Go to your wife and stop this nonsense. You know I'm as nervous as you are."

Miroku bowed in a sorry excuse for an apology, and trotted off. The priestess huffed discontentedly, and in doing so blew her bangs upward. Kagome situated the basket back on her hip and reset some of the ruffled herbs. When she finished she looked back at Sesshoumaru and smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Sorry 'bout that. Miroku likes to rial me up. It's only because he is so nervous himself." Kagome started walking again. "Him and Sango are expecting their first child and he doesn't know what to do with himself. And since, I am just as worried about my friend, he takes delight in teasing me every chance he gets."

"I see. You are concerned for your friends well being during the birth." The youkai lord interjected.

"Uh, yeah." She said shocked.

Kagome eyed the stoic youkai carefully as they made their way toward the huts of the village. He had never been so talkative before. If that's what you could call it. He's said two things to her. Although, she suddenly remembered a time, not to long ago, when they had shared a brief conversation about their fathers. The memory made her blush and a smile light her face. The inu-youkai took notice of this sudden change in her demeanor. He turned his head to look at her. When she turned to look at him he cocked an eyebrow at her whimsical smile. She smiled a bit brighter at his attention to her, before facing forward again and walking on in silence. Sesshoumaru remained silent as he watched her from the edge of his vision. This woman was very odd. Granted she had been an odd one from the beginning, it only became more painfully obvious the more time he spent with her. If the couple of times a year that he interacted with her and her pack, was really interacting with them. However, he had to admit each time he came in contact with her she became more intriguing with each meeting. Kagome ran the hand closest to the demon lord over her hip and down her thigh, smoothing the fabric of her red hakama. This movement caught his attention.

"Miko." He started. "Those clothes do not suit you."

Kagome's head whipped around as she stopped walking, and turned slightly toward him. She stared shocked at him momentarily before she couldn't restrain it any longer. She covered her mouth in an attempt not to offend the youkai lord, before she started giggling softly.

"I think they suit me fine." She said in a resigned tone, and she turned away and started walking again. "I am a miko after all."

"The colors suit you. However, a fine silk would be much more pleasing." His gaze remained forward as he spoke.

"What?" She said in shear shock. "I can't afford such luxuries. Such things are reserved for nobility."

"You are a hime are you not." His eyes shifted sideways at her.

"That is most flattering, my lord, but I am no hime." She chuckled softly.

"I find that hard to believe. You walk like a hime, you talk like a hime, and you smell like a hime." He turned his head to look at her, as if challenging her to argue with him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru. That is very complimentary, but I'm afraid that just isn't true. I am a simple shrine maiden. You pay me a great honor of comparing me so, and for that I am truly sorry. I understand that you are not one to say such things, and most especially not to a nigen." Kagome stopped while she spoke; a deep blush covering her cheeks before she lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" A girls enthusiastic voice raised above the village noise, just as Sesshoumaru was about to move in closer to the modest priestess.

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes on the little girl that was running towards them. Rin came bounding up to them with Shippou close behind her. The girl stopped just in front of her lord, while the kitsune jumped straight into the miko's arms causing her to drop the basket of herbs that she was carrying. The demon lord and the little girl noted the toppled basket.

"Kitsune, desist from this behavior. You caused the miko to drop her provisions." Sesshoumaru chastised the young demon.

Shippou crawled down out of Kagome's arms, and began to pick up the herbs that had spilled from the basket. He handed the restored bushel to his adoptive mother with a look of repentance on his face. She excepted it with a smile and an affectionate rub to his soft rusty hair. In an instant all was forgiven and life returned to normal. Sesshoumaru looked satisfied at his lesson to the fox kit. He gave a soft nod to the miko who gave him a respectful bow in return and the two groups parted ways. Before they went far Inuyasha landed in front of Kagome.

"What are you talking to him for, Kagome?" The hanyou's voice scathed with annoyance.

"He isn't a half bad person once you get to know him." She said with a soft affection in her voice as she turned to look at the demon lords retreating back.

"Isn't half bad. Are you kidding me? He's an icy prick." Inuyasha barked.

"No, he is nicer than you think." She said before turning back to the frustrated inu-hanyou.

"Yeah, what ever." He spat irritably as he folded his arms inside his kimono.

'_Nicer than you think.' So, the miko finds me nicer than one would think. That is interesting. She is quit the unusual little onna. She does not fear me, and she does not shun me. Why would it be that I find peace with the one creature that I loath the most? My fathers tastes must transcend death and birthright. I find myself caught in the same situation that caused my hate for him and his demise. How ironic life is._

The demon lord chuckled inwardly to himself. This little human had captured his attention and his spirit without either of them even knowing it. This would be a slow process.


End file.
